Eastern Towhee

Pipilo erythrophthalmus

Year-round in CharlotteCommon

The take

Listen for the two-footed scratching in the leaf litter, then the drink-your-tea song.

How to ID it

  • Males are bold sooty black above and on the breast, with warm rufous sides and a white belly
  • Chunky, large sparrow with a thick triangular bill and long, rounded tail
  • Scratches at leaf litter with both feet at once in a backwards hop

Field marks at a glance

Size
small
Head
sooty black (male), rich brown (female)
Call
whistled drink-your-teeeea

Where & when

Year-round in Charlotte

Learn more

Sources